From the monthly archives: December, 2012

Following is the text of Calgary Bishop Frederick Henry's catechesis on Evangelizing the Social and Political Order at the Dec. 6 session of Nothing More Beautiful at St. Joseph's Basilica in Edmonton.

As of September the rules regarding drinking and driving changed in the province of Alberta as the new .05 legislation took effect. We were repeatedly told that it is fine to share a bottle, have some fun and then drive home, as long as you stay within your limits.

VATICAN CITY – Incorrect interpretations of the Second Vatican Council are rooted in a denial or a misunderstanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church, the preacher of the papal household said Dec. 14.

It is long past the point when one can describe the abundance of mass murders – 31 school shootings since the Columbine massacre in 1999 – in the United States as a sign of the decay of Western civilization. It is that, but the psychological destruction of the person in a technological society and the decline in morality is not limited to the U.S.

FR. RON ROLHEISER, omi

The Christmas story is surely one of the greatest stories ever told. It chronicles a birth from which the world records time as before or after. Moreover, it is written in a way that has inflamed the romantic imagination for 2,000 years.

RALPH HIMSL

Christmas Eve
December 24, 2012

In the 2,000 years since the birth of Jesus, and since people learned the significance of his birth, they have declared their gratitude in diverse ways: prayers, paintings, novels, poems, rituals, musical compositions, dramas, shrines.

MARK PICKUP

What does the coming of Christ mean to you? The reality of his presence means different things to different people. The wise men travelled a great distance with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to adore the newborn king. Why? A new star appeared in the sky.

FR. RAYMOND DE SOUZA

At his Angelus address on Dec. 9, Pope Benedict commented upon the Sunday Gospel, in which St. Luke carefully lists the various rulers, sacred and profane, when St. John the Baptist began his preaching.

GORDON SELF

In 1979 I befriended a young refugee family. They were one of thousands of "boat people" who fled their country after the Vietnam War. They were grateful for not only surviving the perilous journey on the sea but being able to settle in Canada where they have since flourished.

After 20 children and six adults were shot dead in Connecticut, Pope Benedict offered his condolences and prayers, urging all to dedicate themselves to acts of peace in the face of such “senseless violence.”